The Tulsa Oilers are a member of the ECHL, a mid-level professional hockey league. The team plays at the Bank of Oklahoma Center, located right in Tulsa, just east of Interstate 244. The capacity of the BOK Center is over 17,000 for hockey games, and besides the Oilers, the complex hosts arena football matches, basketball games and concerts. The arena is a stunning structure, and the flagship project of Tulsa County's Vision 2025 development initiative. The Oilers are affiliated with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Despite the suspended 2019-20 season, the Oilers remain one of the top teams in the ECHL, making it all the way to the Conference Finals in 2018-19 before being ousted in seven games by the Toledo Walleye. Fans at the stadium can expect a luxury experience, with 14 concession outlets spread across the arena, seven of which host restaurants and establishments local to the Tulsa area. Additionally, the interior hallways are lined with art and artifacts, some paying tribute to the rich Native American past of Oklahoma.

Tulsa Oilers Background

The Tulsa Oilers have been operating in some capacity since 1928, when they joined the five-team American Hockey Association. Hockey Hall of Famer Clint Smith played the 1947-48 season with the Tulsa Oilers after a career in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks. From 1964 to 1984, the Oilers were a member of the Central Hockey League (CHL), where they were champions in 1968, 1976 and 1984. After the league folded, the Oilers joined a newly formed CHL in 1992, where they remained until 2014, when they moved to the ECHL as part of a group of expansion teams. In 2015, the Oilers were affiliated with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL and the Winnipeg Jets of the NHL, and later with the St. Louis Blues of the NHL. The Oilers’ three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks and San Diego Gulls began during the 2020-21 season.